Eraser tip



L. M. WAUGH July 26, 1966 ERASER TIP Filed April 13, 1964 ATTOR/Viy United States Patent 3,262,425 ERASER TIP Lawrence M. Waugh, 1013 N. Pleasant, Royal Oak, Mich. Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,273 3 Claims. (Cl. 120-68) This invention relates to writing instruments in general and more particularly to means for retaining an eraser on the end of a lead pencil.

Ordinarily, a wooden lead pencil can be used again and again, as long as it can be resharpened, and it will last for quite a long time. However, it is often discarded as soon as the eraser on its other end is no longer useable.

This is a particularly perplexing problem for mothers and teachers of school age children, who make frequent mistakes in learning to write and otherwise, and it is not the least uncommon for them to have either a totally separate eraser or a rubber eraser tip that fits on the end of their pencil when the other is worn down.

Engineers and professional draftsmen also make use of separate erasers and the commonly known separate rubber tip er-aser for their pencils; although they usually find the latter most unsatisfactory.

The commonly known separate rubber tip eraser for lead pencils is usually of a soft rubber formed to include an eraser head and a tubular shank. The end of a pencil is received in the tubular part of the eraser and the head part extends beyond the end of the pencil for use as an eraser.

Unfortunately, if the rubber of the eraser is suitably soft to serve as a good eraser it will usually give under the pressure exerted in its use, stretch, and come right off the end of the pencil. If the eraser is of more firm material, it isnt as good. If it is bigger, so it wont stretch as much, then it is too heavy on the end of the pencil and causes it to be awkwardly unbalanced.

Professional draftsmen find the matter of balance in a lead pencil most'important and will seldom use a rubber tip er-aser for this very reason.

When the rubber of the eraser dries out it will crack and the tubular part of the shank is inclined to tear or just enlarge so that it doesnt grip the end of a pencil very well.

Although different forms and shapes of one piece rubber tip erasers for use on the ends of lead pencils have been tried, none have proven totally acceptable up until now.

It is an object of this invention to provide a soft and effective eraser tip for lead pencils in need thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a substitute eraser tip that retains itself in firm engagement on the end of a pencil, in use and otherwise.

It is an object of this invention to provide an eraser tip that may be used with the common round and hexagonal shaped pencils of different sizes.

It is an object of this invention to provide an eraser tip that is light in weight and adds no appreciable unbalance to a pencil when used therewith.-

It is an object of this invention to provide an eraser tip for pencils that is very inexpensive to manufacture and provide and is reuseable with different pencils over and over again.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide an eraser tip for lead pencils which includes a plastic tube or collar receptive on the end of a pencil and having an eraser tip received and retained in the other end thereof. The plastic collar member may be cut from tubular stock and is formed to include grooves which help to grip and retain it on pencils of different diameters, shapes, etc.

Different innovations enable being able to push the eraser out of the receptive collar so that full use can be made of it, providing a pocket clip in combination with the eraser tip part, and different shapes and designs for special uses.

These and other objects and advantages to be gained in the practice of this invention will be better understood and more fully appreciated upon a reading of the following specification having reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a pencil with one form of the present invention provided on.the end thereof.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the eraser tip shown in the first drawing figure and comprising one form of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan view of the eraser tip shown in the first drawing figure as seen in the plane of line 33 thereon.

FIGURE 4 is another form of the eraser tip of this invention, shown in crosssection.

FIGURE 5 is still another form of eraser tip including certain features of this invention and shown in cross section.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of a still further form of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a fragmentary section of an eraser tip member showing a further variation within the teachings of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings in further detail:

A pencil 10 is shown to include a writing end 12 which is sharpened to expose the writing lead 14 for Writing purposes. The pencil includes a hexagonal shank 16 and may, or may not, normally be provided with an eraser tip on the end thereof.

In the present instance, the presence or absence of a regular eraser on the end of the pencil 10 is not apparent in the first drawing figure because it is provided with an eraser tip member 20 made in accord with the teachings of this invention.

Eraser tip member 20 is shown by FIGURES l and 2 to include a collar part 22 which is of plastic and is tubular in cross section. The .plastic tubular collar part 22 is lightweight, translucent, pliable and includes a modulus of elasticity which permits it to be enlarged so that it fits snugly on the end of the pencil 10 as best shown in the drawing figure.

A passage 24 is provided all the way through the collar part 22 and is receptive of a soft rubber eraser part 26 in one end thereof. As best shown in FIGURE 2 the eraser is slightly oversize in comparison with the size of the passage 24 so that it is compressed as received within the passage and firmly retained in the end thereof.

The through passage 24 is also formed to include projections or lands 28 which extend into the passageway and intermediate sections 30 which extend therebetween and the full length thereof. The axial inward extending disposed projection or lands 28 are preferably provided in a hexagonal pattern to complement the six sides of a conventional pencil having a hexagonal cross section.

Referring to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the corners of a six-sided pencil will be received between the pro.- jections or lands 28 in the intermediate parts 30. Further, the projecting parts 28 are received against the flat faces of the pencil as shown.

It will be appreciated that a round pencil of smaller size will be readily received and centered between the inwardly projecting ribs 28 and that a pencil of larger cross-sectional size and of whatever cross-sectional shape would also be receptive in the collar part 22 and would simply cause it to be expanded, enlarged or deformed slightly. v

A pencil received in the collar part 22 is preferably bottomed against the eraser so that the eraser can not be worked back and forth and become loose in the course of its use.

It will also be apparent that when the passage 24 extends all the way through, the pencil 10 can be used to push the eraser 26 out further when it begins to wear down.

Although the eraser may be glued or otherwise fixed in the end of the tubular collar part 22, there are advantages to having it free so that it can be adjusted as just mentioned.

FIGURE 4 shows a collar part 32 which is tapered and feathered at the ends thereof, and preferably caused to be undersized with respect to the rest of the passage 34 therethrough. This is to afford some terminal end bite for both the eraser 36 and the pencil with which engaged. The deformity of the eraser shows the grip that is imposed thereon.

FIGURE 5 shows a collar part 42 with a passage 44 provided therethrough. An eraser 46 is held in one end by a crimping band 48 provided on a pocket clip. Such pocket clips are commonly known and form no part of this invention other than in showing that a crimping band 48 alone, or as part of a pocket clip may be used to retain an eraser tip in the end of a plastic collar member.

It will "be appreciated that the collar part yields and is readily deformed as necessary to receive the stub end of a pencil therein. This frictional grip alone may be used to retain the eraser tip on the end of the pencil in less expensive modifications of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 shows a collar part 52 which includes a fiat side 54 in the end of the passage 56 which is receptive of the pencil part 58 therein. The flat side 54 will serve to keep the collar part from turning on the pencil and, if slightly oversize, will serve to provide a tighter grip for the collar part on the pencil.

FIGURE 7 shows the ribs or lands 28 which extend into the collar part, as shown in the first three drawing figures, may be irregularly formed, as with interruptions 60 causing teeth or the like 62 which afford added holding pow-er for the eraser and/or the end of the pencil received in engagement therewith.

From the preceding discussion it should be apparent that this invention may be practiced in several ways and includes many variations.

In its simplest form it makes use of short tubular pieces, that may be cut from a length of plastic tubing of suitable size, with eraser tips compressed and fitted into the ends thereof.

Preferably the tubing is formed by extrusion or otherwise to include inwardly disposed lands or ribs 28 for better-retention of an eraser tip in one end thereof and the end of a pencil in the other end. This also affords a simple means of having one size eraser tip member be useable with several different s'md pencils.

The other variations shown and described include refinements of varying importance dependent upon the purpose to be served.

It is also obvious that soft rubber and ink eraser tips may be provided separately or that provision may be made for changing and/or renewing the eraser tips as desired.

Although a preferred form of this invention has been shown and described, with particular emphasis on certain individual features, and reference to certain modifications and improvements, it will be appreciated that other modifications and improvement are within the scope of the teachings set forth. Accordingly, such improvements and modifications as are not specifically excluded by the language of the hereinafter appended claims, are to be considered as inclusive thereunder.

Iclaim:

1. An eraser tip for pencils, comprising:

a tubular member relatively short in length and of soft pliable plastic material having an eraser received and retained within one end thereof and being formed to receive and to be received on the end of a pencil to provide an eraser for use therewith,

said tubular member having an opening provided therethrough and longitudinally extended ribs on the inner peripheral wall of said opening for both eraser and pencil gripping engagement and being of uniform cross-section throughout its full length,

and said eraser being oversized with respect to the opening receptive thereof for press fitted unyielding engagement therewithin and said opening being undersized with respect to a pencil for use therewith for stretch fitted holding engagement of said member on the pencil within the modulus of elasticity afforded by said soft plastic material.

2. The eraser tip of claim 1;

said tubular member being translucent for visual assurance of seating engagement of the end of a pencil against the end of the eraser in said member upon use therewith.

3. An eraser tip for pencils, comprising:

a tubular member of soft pliable lightweight plastic material,

said member having a passage of uniform cross-section extending the length thereof and including radially disposed serrations,

said serrations including hexagonal spaced lands receptive of the flat sides of a hexagonal sided pencil between oppositely disposed thereof,

said serrations including grooves between said lands receptive of the corners of a hexagonal sided pencil in bottoming engagement therewith,

an eraser receptive-within one end of said tubular member,

said eraser having the end thereof received in the end of said tubular member oversized in comparison with the distance between opposite disposed of said lands for compressive retention of said eraser in the end of said tubular member, I

and said tubular member being yieldingly expanded for receiving said eraser in one end thereof and the end of a pencil in the other end thereof and having a modulus of elasticity for retaining engagement therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,028,034 5/1912 Kruger 36 1,209,691 12/1916 Elliott et al. 12084 1,379,608 5/1921 Bailey 12038 2,068,487 1/1937 Gorrell 12038 2,261,991 11/1941 Gerster 12036 2,493,665 1/1950 Gagnon 12038 LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ERASER TIP FOR PENCILS, COMPRISING: A TUBULAR MEMBER RELATIVELY SHORT IN LENGTH AND OF SOFT PLIABLE PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING AN ERASER RECEIVED AND RETAINED WITHIN ONE END THEREOF AND BEING FORMED TO RECEIVE AND TO BE RECEIVED ON THE END OF A PENCIL TO PROVIDE AN ERASER FOR USE THEREWITH, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING PROVIDED THERETHROUGH AND LONGITUDINALLY EXENDED RIBS ON THE INNER PERIPHERAL WALL OF SAID OPENING FOR BOTH ERASER AND PENCIL GRIPPNG ENGAGEMENT AND BEING OF UNIFORM CROSS-SECTION THROUGHOUT ITS FULL LENGTH, AND SAID ERASER BEING OVERSIZED WITH RESPECT TO THE OPENING RECEPTIVE THEREOF FOR PRES FITTED UNYIELDING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITHIN AND SAID OPENING BEING UNDERSIZED WITH RESPECT TO A PENCIL FOR USE THEREWITH FOR STRETCH FITTED HOLDING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID MEM- 